This case study describes the policy-making process in Australia leading to the public release of information on every school in Australia through the My School website. Policy lessons are described to provide insight for OECD member countries which may be grappling with similar issues in developing school accountability systems, particularly those working within federal-state contexts.

While some of the lessons from this policy development and implementation process relate specifically to Australia’s circumstances, there are general policy prescriptions of broader interest to other countries seeking to improve school education through measurement and reporting of key factors of school operations and performance.

Chapter 1. The policy challenge of delivering school transparency
Chapter 2. Policy background
-The Australian education system
-Introduction of the National Assessment Programme - Literacy and Numeracy
-Political support for better public access to comparative information about schools
-Public debate about transparency
Chapter 3. Decision making
-Australia’s school reform agenda
-Mandate from the Council of Australian Governments
-Education Ministers determined the policy details
-The key factors in policy making
Chapter 4. My School website launched
-Key features
-My School 2.0
-The future of My School.
Chapter 5. Conclusion
-Policy lessons
-My School underpins other school reforms
Annex A. My School 2.0 page by page
Annex B. Report on the Generation of the 2010 Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA)